PROJECT CHOICE PROGRAM FEE – Amends existing law to revise a provision regarding the Project Choice program fee and the transfer of those funds to the General Fund in certain instances.

68th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session (2026)

Raises the Project Choice fee from $3 to $8 per vehicle to fund ISP salaries and career ladders, while excess Idaho Law Enforcement Fund funds transfer to the General Fund.

Reported Printed; referred to Transportation

#employersandemployees #fees #government #lawenforcement #police #idahostate

Overview

Bill: S 1360

Session: Idaho, 2026

Subject: Amends the Project Choice program fee and transfer provisions to the General Fund; adjusts related Idaho Law Enforcement Fund rules.

Purpose: Increase the Project Choice fee from $3 to $8 to bolster recruitment and retention of Idaho State Police personnel, and modify when funds in the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund are transferred to the General Fund.

Main purpose and intent

Improve compensation and career development for Idaho State Police (ISP) personnel by creating a larger dedicated revenue stream for salaries and career ladders.

Align fund management with current fiscal policy by transferring excess Project Choice funds to the General Fund when they exceed 200% of the current year’s appropriation.

Key provisions and changes

Section 49-454 (Project Choice Fee)

Current/proposed fee: Increase from $3.00 to $8.00 per vehicle registration.

Applicability: Fee remains in addition to registration fees listed in various Idaho Code provisions and is deposited into the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund (ILF) per existing statute.

Use of funds: Funds must be used, subject to appropriation, exclusively for:

Creating a career ladder within the Idaho State Police.
Providing salaries to recruit and retain trained and qualified ISP personnel (commissioned officers, dispatch personnel, forensic personnel).

Transition: The fee apply to registrations for calendar year 2007 and thereafter (per text). This appears to be legacy language; the effective date is July 1, 2026 for the act, with emergency status.

Section 67-2914 (Idaho Law Enforcement Fund)

Establishes the Idaho Law Enforcement Fund (ILF) in the state treasury and directs deposits as provided by law.

Transfer rule: At the beginning of each fiscal year, moneys in the ILF that exceed 200% of that year’s appropriation (as certified by the state treasurer) shall be transferred to the General Fund.

Affected parties and impacts

Idaho State Police: Primary beneficiaries, via higher Project Choice resources for salaries, career ladders, and recruitment/retention efforts.

ISP personnel (commissioned officers, dispatch, forensic staff): Targeted for salary enhancements and career advancement opportunities funded by the Project Choice fee.

ILF recipients and the state General Fund: Funds that exceed 200% of appropriation will be redirected to the General Fund, increasing general state revenues in those years.

Idaho taxpayers and motorists: Potentially affected indirectly through registration fees rising from $3 to $8, with feedback on state budgeting and fund allocation.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Emergency status: The act declares an emergency, with an effective date of July 1, 2026.

Fiscal mechanics: The revised fee levels and transfer rule rely on annual appropriation data and the 200% threshold to trigger transfers to the General Fund.

Implementation: The fee increase and fund transfer provisions require legislative and administrative coordination to implement the higher fee and monitor the 200% cap annually.

Additional notes

Supporting documents describe a fiscal note estimating roughly $10 million per year in new revenue for Project Choice to recruit/retain troopers.

The language emphasizes the fee’s exclusive use for ISP salary-related purposes, subject to appropriation, and specifies sustained eligibility for current beneficiaries as of July 1, 2010 (with modified use thereafter).

If you’d like, I can provide a concise one-page briefing or a comparative analysis with current-year ILF transfers and ISP staffing trends.